Bautista '99 per cent' for Le Mans, says Suzuki

Alvaro Bautista will race in the upcoming French Grand Prix, despite breaking his shoulder in a motocross training accident.

The factory Rizla Suzuki rider looked set to skip the third round of the season after undergoing an operation this morning [Friday] to his fractured clavicle, but the nature of the injury, which is a clean break, has prompted doctors to give him the green light to compete at Le Mans in just over a week's time.

A team spokesman confirmed to Crash.net that Bautista is '99 per cent positive' to be racing in France, adding that rumours he was set for a lengthy lay-off have been 'greatly exaggerated'.

"We will make no official announcement until we know exactly what's going on," he said. "Alvaro is with the surgeon at the moment, and we understand it is a break in the clavicle.

"From the initial inspection by the surgeon, it is 99 per cent positive that he will ride next weekend at Le Mans.

"The rumour has been greatly exaggerated. He is adamant he will ride regardless!"

Bautista scored his first top ten MotoGP result last time out in Spain with a run to tenth position.

Rizla Suzuki says it has no plans to source a replacement for Bautista, but will be keeping a close watch on his condition over the coming days.